


Dusty Jackets

by RosexKnight



Series: Dusty Jackets [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, Rumbelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 13:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2549573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosexKnight/pseuds/RosexKnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of stories in which The Dark One finds out what sorts of books Belle reads every now and again…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dusty Jackets

# Dusty Jackets

## By RosexKnight

### Chapter One ~ Dark Castle

The spinning wheel squeaked slowly as Rumpelstiltskin spun. Belle ever tired of watching him. She had mixed feelings towards magic, but it was mesmerizing the way straw went in one end and gold came out the other.

The Dark One had become quite used to her presence at the sofa by the window as he spun, and Belle was not one to complain about that. Though he was the only one in the castle, she’d grown to almost like his company. The sofa had become her spot, a small stack of books ever present on the end table beside it.

One day, the wheel stopped turning, and Belle tore her eyes from the page of her story to see him frowning at her.

“Did you…need something?” She asked in confusion. He’d never stopped spinning so abruptly before, and certainly not to give her any sort of look.

“Well yes, dearie.” The Dark One said, standing to approach her with his sauntering walk. “A whole library of books at your disposal and you’ve read this same one with the dustiest jacket over three times. Now…what good is my gracious act of generosity if you’re only ever going to read one book?”

His tone grew annoyed, but Belle merely blinked against it. She closed the book, holding it protectively. “It’s my favorite.” She admitted. “Sometimes the best book has the dustiest cover.”

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t have time for her bookish nonsense. Still, he didn’t leave, and Belle wondered if this was actually an act of curiosity.

“It’s got far off places.” The brunette continued. “Daring sword fights. Revenge. A prince in Disguise. Romance…” For a moment, she hesitated, though she wasn’t sure why. “True love.”

With a wave the book was in his hand. For a moment, Belle went rigid, afraid he’d do away with it. But then he opened it, flipping through the pages. He even paused every now and then. Belle exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, a smile tugging at her lips as she tried to slow down her pulse. Standing before her, a book in his hand, even with his void eyes and odd skin he was almost…attractive.

However, soon he’d stopped at a section, and Belle went cold. She knew that section. How could she have forgotten that part was in there?

Rumpelstiltskin broke out into a fit of genuine laughter, closing the book and handing it back to her, “I can see now why it’s your favorite, dearie.”

“N-no! That’s not...I skip that part!” Belle objected futilely, betrayed by the burning of her cheeks.

“Oh sure you do.” The Dark One teased as he went back to his spinning wheel, pretending he didn’t notice the corner that had been folded down at the beginning of that particular section. “Whatever you say.”

The brunette gave him a frown, angling herself away from him on the couch as she went back to her reading, the blush spreading to her ears as Rumpelstiltskin continued his giggle.

That night, as she was starting to bed, the book was nowhere to be found. Yet in the morning, it was right back in its proper place. Belle couldn’t help but smile to herself as she completed her morning chores. It tugged on her lips even more as she settled into the spot on her sofa, this time leaning so that she was closer to him. However little the gesture seemed, she enjoyed it. Part of her vaguely wondered if he did too.

“Did um…Did you enjoy your read last night?” She asked knowingly.

For a moment, his hand wavered on the wheel. Something only noticeable by someone who’d spent hours watching him spin. Someone like his caretaker. But he was better at hiding his emotion than her, and merely gave a chuckle.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 


End file.
